आत्मनो मृगशापेन जानन्नुपहतां क्रियाम्
Knowing that his own rites were hindered by the curse of the deer, he reflected.
अथ पारसवीं कन्यां देवकस्य महीपतेः। रूपयौवनसंपन्नां स सुश्रावापगासुतः
Then the son of the river heard of the maiden of Parashara, daughter of King Devaka, endowed with beauty and youth.
ततस्तु वरयित्वा तामानीय भरतर्षभः। विवाहं कारयामास विदुरस्य महामतेः
Then, having chosen her, the bull among the Bharatas brought her and arranged the marriage for Vidura, the wise one.
तस्यां चोत्पादयामास विदुरः कुरुनन्दन। पुत्रान्विनयसंपन्नानात्मनः सदृशान्गुणैः
And in her, Vidura, joy of the Kurus, begot sons endowed with good conduct and virtues like his own.
ततः पुत्रशतं जज्ञे गान्धार्या जनमेजय। धृतराष्ट्रस्य वैश्यायामेकश्चापि शतात्परः
Then, O Janamejaya, a hundred sons were born to Gandhari, and one more, surpassing the hundred, was born to Dhritarashtra by a Vaishya woman.
पाण्डोः कृन्त्यां च माद्र्यां च पुत्राः पञ्च महारथाः। देवेभ्यः समपद्यन्त सन्तानाय कुलस्य वै
And to Pandu, from Kunti and Madri, five mighty sons were born, equal to the gods, for the continuation of the lineage.
कथं पुत्रशतं जज्ञे गान्धार्यां द्विजसत्तम। कियता चैव कालेन तेषामायुश्च किं परम्
How was a hundred sons born to Gandhari, O best of twice-born? In how much time, and what was their highest lifespan?
कथं चैकः स वैश्यायां धृतराष्ट्रसुतोऽभवत्। कथं च सदृशीं भार्यां गान्धारीं धर्मचारिणीम्
And how was one son born to Dhritarashtra by a Vaishya woman? And how did Gandhari, the virtuous wife, obtain a suitable husband?
आनुकूल्ये वर्तमानां धृतराष्ट्रोऽत्यवर्तत। कथं च शप्तस्य सतः पाण्डोस्तेन महात्मना
How did Dhritarashtra behave toward Gandhari, who acted with devotion? And how did the great-souled Pandu, though cursed, have sons from the gods?
समुत्पन्ना दैवतेभ्यः पुत्राः पञ्च महारथाः। एतद्विद्वन्यथान्यायं विस्तरेण तपोधन
How were five mighty sons born from the gods? O learned one, tell me all this in detail, O possessor of austerity.
ऋषिं बुभुक्षितं श्रान्तं द्वैपायनमुपस्थितम्
The sage Dvaipayana, weary and hungry, arrived.
तोषयामास गान्धारी व्यासस्तस्यै वरं ददौ। सा वव्रे सदृशं भर्तुः पुत्राणां शतमात्मनः
Gandhari pleased him, and Vyasa granted her a boon; she chose for herself a hundred sons, equal to her husband.
ततः कालेन सा गर्भमगृह्णाज्ज्ञानचक्षुषः
Then, in due course, she conceived a child endowed with spiritual vision.
गान्धार्यामाहिते गर्भे पाण्डुरम्बालिकासुतः। अगच्छत्परमं दुःखमपत्यार्थमरिन्दम
While Gandhari bore her pregnancy, the son of Pandu and Ambalika, scorcher of foes, fell into great distress, longing for offspring.
गर्भिण्यामथ गान्धार्यां पाण्डुः परमदुःखितः। मृगाभिशापादात्मानं शोचन्नुपरतक्रियः
As Gandhari was pregnant, Pandu, overwhelmed by sorrow, ceased all duties, lamenting himself because of the curse of the deer.
स गत्वा तपसा सिद्धिं विश्वामित्रो यथा भुवि। देहान्यासे कृतमना इदं वचनमब्रवीत्
He, having attained perfection through austerity like Vishvamitra on earth, fixed his mind on relinquishing the body and spoke these words:
चतुर्भिर्ऋणवानित्थं जायते मनुजो भुवि। पितृदेवमनुष्याणामृषीणामथ भामिनि
A human being is born on earth with four debts, O beautiful one: to the ancestors, the gods, humans, and the sages.
एतेभ्यस्तु यथाकालं यो न मुच्येत धर्मवित्। न तस्य लोकाः सन्तीति तता लोकविदो विदुः
If one who knows righteousness does not free himself from these at the proper time, he gains no worlds—so say those learned in the worlds.
यज्ञेन देवान्प्रीणाति स्वाध्यायात्तपसा ऋषीन्। पुत्रैः श्राद्धैरपि पितॄनानृशंस्येन मानवान्
By sacrifice he pleases the gods, by study and austerity the sages, by sons and offerings to ancestors, and by compassion, mankind.
ऋषिदेवमनुष्याणामृणान्मुक्तोऽस्मि धर्मतः। पितॄणां तु न मुक्तोऽस्मि तच्च तेभ्यो विशिष्यते
By righteousness I am freed from the debts to sages, gods, and men; but I am not freed from the debt to the ancestors, and that is considered the highest.
देहनाशे भवेन्नाशः पितॄणामेष निश्चयः। इतरेषां त्रयाणां तु नाशे ह्यात्मा विनश्यति
At the destruction of the body, the debt to the ancestors is destroyed—this is certain; but if the other three are destroyed, the self perishes.
इह तस्मात्प्रजालाभे प्रयतन्ते द्विजोत्तमाः। यथैवाहं पितुः क्षेत्रे सृष्टस्तेन महात्मना
Therefore, the best of twice-born strive for offspring here, just as I was created in my father's field by that great soul.
तथैवास्मिन्मम क्षेत्रे कथं सृज्येत वै प्रजा
So, in this my field, how might offspring indeed be produced?
आचष्ट पुत्रलाभस्य व्युष्टिं सर्वक्रियाधिकाम्। उत्तमादवराः पुंसः काङ्क्षन्तो पुत्रमापदि
He declared the supreme importance of obtaining a son, surpassing all other duties; men, whether superior or inferior, desire a son in adversity.
अपत्यं धर्मफलदं श्रेष्ठादिच्छन्ति साधवः। अनुनीय तु ते सम्यङ्महाब्राह्मणसंसदि। ब्राह्मणं गुणवन्तं हि चिन्तयामास धर्मवित्
The virtuous desire excellent offspring, which brings the fruit of righteousness; having properly entreated them in the assembly of great Brahmins, the knower of righteousness considered a Brahmin of noble qualities.
सोऽब्रवीद्विजने कुन्तीं धर्मपत्नीं यशस्विनीम्। अपत्योत्पादने यत्नमापदि त्वं समर्थय
He spoke in private to Kunti, his illustrious wife: 'In this adversity, strive to produce offspring.'
अपत्यं नाम लोकेषु प्रतिष्ठा धर्मसंहिता। इति कुन्ति विदुर्धीराः शाश्वतं धर्मवादिनः
Offspring, joined with righteousness, is the foundation in the worlds; thus, O Kunti, say the wise who speak of eternal law.
इष्टं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं नियमश्च स्वनुष्ठितः। सर्वमेवानपत्यस्य न पावनमिहोच्यते
Sacrifice performed, gifts given, austerity practiced, and discipline observed—all these are not said to purify one who is without offspring.
सोऽहमेवं विदित्वैतत्प्रपश्यामि शुचिस्मिते। अनपत्यः शुभाँल्लोकान्नप्राप्स्यामीति चिन्तयन्
Thus knowing this, O gentle-smiling one, I see that, being without offspring, I shall not attain the auspicious worlds, so I reflect.
अनपत्यो हि मरणं कामये नैव जीवितम्।' मृगाभिशापं जानासि विजने मम केवलम्। नृशंसकर्मणा कृत्स्नं यथा ह्युपहतं तथा
Indeed, being childless, I desire death, not life; you alone know of the curse of the deer upon me in secret, and how, by a cruel deed, I have been wholly struck down.